Jailers injured by inmates

COLDWATER — It has been a rough two weeks for Branch County Jail employees.

The inmate count has been at or above the limit of 142 inmates — and two of those inmates have attacked corrections officers, turning minor offenses into five-year felonies.

Lukas Platek, 21, was causing a problem early Tuesday by running and yelling in the street. Coldwater Police officer Derek Coats found Platek had been drinking and was on probation for an October disorderly conduct conviction.

After being arrested and taken to the jail, Platek pulled away from Coats and told him, "You’re not going to like what happens next."

Platek ran head-first into a wall.

The inmate then fought with Corrections Officers Dave Rumens ands Gary Smith, leaving them with cuts and bruises.

On June 15 inmate Christopher Moore, 20, of Frankfort, Ky. was causing problems including removing a 3-inch screw holding a cell telephone to the wall.

Six corrections officers were sent to his cell to restrain him when he "squared off" and hit officer Roy Shutts in the head with his fist. Officers Rumens and Smith also received scrapes and abrasions in the scuffle.

Moore had been awaiting extradition back to Kentucky to face theft charges. He will remain in Branch County and face three felony charges of assaulting corrections employees before he is returned there.

Branch County District Judge Brent Weigle set $50,000 bonds on each man and scheduled preliminary exams for July 8.